News Releases

November 21, 2005

WOCCU Participates In UN Meeting on Building Inclusive Financial Sectors

New York, NY – At the invitation of the United
Nations (UN), World Council of Credit Unions, Inc.
(WOCCU) participated in the closing conference of
the UN's Year of Microcredit, November 7-9, 2005.
WOCCU is particularly interested in ensuring that
the UN's forthcoming "blue book," which is
intended to provide policy guidance to governments
in developing markets on how to create an enabling
environment to ensure broader access to financials
services, appropriately recognize the role credit
unions can and do play in building inclusive
financial sectors. In addition to participating
in this closing meeting, WOCCU representatives
provided several briefings to UN officials
throughout the year, participated in selected
stakeholder interviews with the UN officials, and
will be reviewing the draft document before its
publication. WOCCU was represented at the UN
meeting by Dave Grace, WOCCU Senior Manger of
Association Services.

World Council of Credit Unions is the global trade association and development agency for credit unions. World Council promotes the sustainable development of credit unions and other financial cooperatives around the world to empower people through access to high quality and affordable financial services. World Council advocates on behalf of the global credit union system before international organizations and works with national governments to improve legislation and regulation. Its technical assistance programs introduce new tools and technologies to strengthen credit unions' financial performance and increase their outreach.

World Council has implemented more than 290 technical assistance programs in 71 countries. Worldwide, 60,500 credit unions in 109 countries serve 223 million people. Learn more about World Council's impact around the world at www.woccu.org.